wusthof
Member
this is one thing I will take the stang into the dealer for..............they screw it up, they fix. I've read too many of these nitemares
Motorcraft Spark Plugs GONE
- Thread starter rogerblose
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
GOLDENPONY
Founding Member
After hearing the horror stories, I had a dealer change mine to the Champions at 75k. I kept all the originals and none broke and none have carbon on them either, just a little discoloration.
I have a brenspeed tune and a WMS air filter setup along with a TB spacer. Along with lots of highway driving or my personal driving style, maybe that kept the original plugs from gunking up, I don't know.
They thought I was crazy having them changed, and charged me about $200, and I supplied the plugs!
Next time I do it myself and to heck with all this hype.
Mike E
05 GT
I have a brenspeed tune and a WMS air filter setup along with a TB spacer. Along with lots of highway driving or my personal driving style, maybe that kept the original plugs from gunking up, I don't know.
They thought I was crazy having them changed, and charged me about $200, and I supplied the plugs!
Next time I do it myself and to heck with all this hype.
Mike E
05 GT
anthony05gt
Active Member
It's a good idea to pull your plugs every 5-10k miles, clean them up and reinstall the never seize on the barrel section and the threads too.
I put in Champions over 12,000 miles ago, car is still running great. When I removed my originals there was 38,000 on the clock. The second one broke off. I chickened out , trucked it to my dealer who broke off 5 more. I never want to relive that again. Needless to say, I sleep much better knowing my one piece Champions are on the job.
How much did they charge you to remove the 6 broken plugs??
And this is a dumb statement. It's not the dealers fault these are a **** design. Ford themselves should pay to dealer to do this... like any other warranty claim. I deal with way too many customers every day like this that think because we touch a car, we own it. It's BS.
05wolfkiller
Member
Well unfortunately for you, (whether you are a mechanic or salesman) you are the only person/s which we buyers have to gripe at. Give me the number to the "Ford Guy" in charge and I will give him the earfull instead of you guys
And Ford's not gonna pay $500 million dollars to dealers for a design they cheaped out on. The dealers can't complain because if they do, then Ford will just say "we won't ship anymore cars to your dealership, how you like them apples"!!
Well unfortunately for you, (whether you are a mechanic or salesman) you are the only person/s which we buyers have to gripe at. Give me the number to the "Ford Guy" in charge and I will give him the earfull instead of you guys
Well ya know... If Ford wants to stay afloat, then they wouldn't do that, right?
05wolfkiller
Member
I would hope not. But I guess its a trade off. These cars are more affordable than the once obsolete now retro camaro has ever been. I just wish Ford would cut costs on things that weren't such a PITA to change.
GOLDENPONY
Founding Member
Plugs
I think the dealer charged me $600 & change - this included a new set of OEM Motorcraft POS plugs. I removed the Motorcraps ASAP and installed my own set of Champions. I went on a quest, writing letters to Ford customer relations and the owner of the dealership and was eventually re-imbursed for the job, so all it ended up costing me was a few bucks for AAA to truck my sick pony back to the barn. I was lucky, this doesn't happen often.
I think the dealer charged me $600 & change - this included a new set of OEM Motorcraft POS plugs. I removed the Motorcraps ASAP and installed my own set of Champions. I went on a quest, writing letters to Ford customer relations and the owner of the dealership and was eventually re-imbursed for the job, so all it ended up costing me was a few bucks for AAA to truck my sick pony back to the barn. I was lucky, this doesn't happen often.
GOLDENPONY
Founding Member
Plug Hell
The reason people are changing out OE plugs that are still running OK is simple, the longer they are left in the head, the more likely when they are removed, they will snap off in the head. People are changing them out early are trying to head off a huge repair bill before it hits them between the eyes.
The plugs you bought for your '65 Impala wern't platinum tipped.
Also, the chances of the dealer fixing a plug they break off for free? Nill. Most dealers will charge you to remove a plug they break off EVEN IF THE CAR IS STILL IN WARRANTY.
The reason people are changing out OE plugs that are still running OK is simple, the longer they are left in the head, the more likely when they are removed, they will snap off in the head. People are changing them out early are trying to head off a huge repair bill before it hits them between the eyes.
The plugs you bought for your '65 Impala wern't platinum tipped.
Also, the chances of the dealer fixing a plug they break off for free? Nill. Most dealers will charge you to remove a plug they break off EVEN IF THE CAR IS STILL IN WARRANTY.
05wolfkiller
Member
The reason people are changing out OE plugs that are still running OK is simple, the longer they are left in the head, the more likely when they are removed, they will snap off in the head. People are changing them out early are trying to head off a huge repair bill before it hits them between the eyes.
The plugs you bought for your '65 Impala wern't platinum tipped.
Also, the chances of the dealer fixing a plug they break off for free? Nill. Most dealers will charge you to remove a plug they break off EVEN IF THE CAR IS STILL IN WARRANTY.
Couldna said it better myself. It's basically preventative maintenance. When you wrench on your own car 98% of the time, the last thing you want to have to worry about is whether or not your spark plugs are gonna come out in one piece. Oh and by the way, I paid $12 bucks a piece, not $20. It was well worth the dough IMO
Notchbck93
New Member
Umm ya, coming in as a fleet mechanic for Ford's 5.4's with well over 200,000 on some of our service vans out there, the plugs looked as good as the day I installed them on the 100K tune up.
Most of you will have traded in your cars well before the 100K mark for the next latest and greatest fad: I've seen the scare and hype all too often on the internet, people losing sleep for no reason at all.
Life is far too short to worry about whether or not my spark plugs will come out before the service due date.
Most of you will have traded in your cars well before the 100K mark for the next latest and greatest fad: I've seen the scare and hype all too often on the internet, people losing sleep for no reason at all.
Life is far too short to worry about whether or not my spark plugs will come out before the service due date.
05wolfkiller
Member
I dont know who "most of us" are but I dont drive no service van and I do my own repairs on my car. Even if I kept the car for 2 months and traded it in doesnt excuse the fact that ford used a substandard product. And your probably right, maybe its all hype. which is why ford guarantees them for 100k.
03GT Mike
New Member
When did Ford switchover to the new heads? I have an 08 GT with 7k on the clock and a build date of 11/07.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Notchbck93
New Member
I dont know who "most of us" are but I dont drive no service van and I do my own repairs on my car. Even if I kept the car for 2 months and traded it in doesnt excuse the fact that ford used a substandard product. And your probably right, maybe its all hype. which is why ford guarantees them for 100k.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against being proactive, but in the last 15 years of many different rigs and outfits, I've seen too many people worry over stuff that really isn't worth getting upset over.
I've got two friends with lukemia, one with testicular cancer, I know of three of my lady friends that have cancer in one of their plumbing parts, an older gent with throat cancer, a buddy with CF, and people on here are having nightmares about sparkplugs; unreal.
You know something my 'Stang banging buddies, my cars could burn to the ground and I could build another one better than what I have, but I can't build/repair old friends; it's a simple fact that can be hard to swallow.
The best thing about owning a Mustang is that if there is something you simply do not care for about the car, open a magazine; I'm pretty confident that you could find a suitable upgrade.
Perfect point, I asked the neighbor guy what he does to keep his 2000 F-150 in such great shape, especially with 167000 on the clock. He told me he washes and waxes the truck once a year and changes the oil with full syn every 5G. That's it. It even sits outside all the time.
rd
Founding Member
I need to think like Notchback93 more of the time.
Well, since I have 150k miles on my 97 F150, and it has not had the plugs changed since 70k miles (before I bought it) maybe I am almost there.
I certainly do have to sit back every now and then and realize that I am somewhat of a lucky dog, although the stress level seems high at times.....
Happy New Year.
Well, since I have 150k miles on my 97 F150, and it has not had the plugs changed since 70k miles (before I bought it) maybe I am almost there.
I certainly do have to sit back every now and then and realize that I am somewhat of a lucky dog, although the stress level seems high at times.....
Happy New Year.
GOLDENPONY
Founding Member
Hmmm
I'm not quite sure where Notchback93 was going. I know there are more important things in this world than my spark plugs, but when you begin what should be a 30 min. job of changing plugs, and the second one snaps off in the head even after following Ford's TSB to the letter, it can be pretty darn stressful. I only had 38K on the clock. I now, after quite a drama, have a nice set of 1 piece plugs in my 'Stang and I can go back to worrying about world peace.
I'm not quite sure where Notchback93 was going. I know there are more important things in this world than my spark plugs, but when you begin what should be a 30 min. job of changing plugs, and the second one snaps off in the head even after following Ford's TSB to the letter, it can be pretty darn stressful. I only had 38K on the clock. I now, after quite a drama, have a nice set of 1 piece plugs in my 'Stang and I can go back to worrying about world peace.
LOL Sometimes reading in forums brings up a list of worries.
I have a 2007 GT/CS w 3800 miles on it, now I am tossing around pulling the plugs out?? Is there a better replacement for NA performance or is it really just for the security of knowing the new ones are 1 piece??
Obviously the car has never even been out in any type of bad weather, hell it doesn't even see rain
Thanx
I have a 2007 GT/CS w 3800 miles on it, now I am tossing around pulling the plugs out?? Is there a better replacement for NA performance or is it really just for the security of knowing the new ones are 1 piece??
Obviously the car has never even been out in any type of bad weather, hell it doesn't even see rain
Thanx
GOLDENPONY
Founding Member
Plugs
There would be no performance gain, but if I were you, I'd pull the plugs (with that few miles, they should come out very easy) and either replace them with one piece plugs like the Champion #7989, or at very least treat treat the plugs with nickel anti-seize and put them back. Keep the anti-seize off the threads and the firing end - only apply it to the smooth cylinder below the threads.
By going one of these routes, you may save yourself a lot of grief down the road.
Use the anti-sieze on whatever you choose to put back in.
LOL Sometimes reading in forums brings up a list of worries.
I have a 2007 GT/CS w 3800 miles on it, now I am tossing around pulling the plugs out?? Is there a better replacement for NA performance or is it really just for the security of knowing the new ones are 1 piece??
Obviously the car has never even been out in any type of bad weather, hell it doesn't even see rain
Thanx
There would be no performance gain, but if I were you, I'd pull the plugs (with that few miles, they should come out very easy) and either replace them with one piece plugs like the Champion #7989, or at very least treat treat the plugs with nickel anti-seize and put them back. Keep the anti-seize off the threads and the firing end - only apply it to the smooth cylinder below the threads.
By going one of these routes, you may save yourself a lot of grief down the road.
Use the anti-sieze on whatever you choose to put back in.
Similar threads
